How I'm Living Frugal

Save money with a bagless vacuum cleaner

2011-08-13T05:03:00.000-07:00

For many, many years I've had a traditional vacuum cleaner which took bags. I would often find myself buying bags (which come in a 2 pack) every 4-6 weeks or so. Eventually that vacuum started losing power, and wasn't picking up dirt like it used to, so I started looking around for a new one. I noticed that both the bagless and the type which take bags were about the same price, so I took a chance and got a bagless vacuum about 2 years ago. I have thoroughly enjoyed not having to purchase vacuum bags these last two years!

Think about this next time you want to rent a movie

2011-08-10T02:58:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago my wife and I wanted to watch the first installment of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows before going to the theater to watch part 2. Yes, I know, going to a theater to watch a movie isn't exactly frugal. But we had been planning for this. Anyway, we were fully prepared to go out to a video rental store and rent the DVD. That's when we realized that the nearest place to rent a DVD was just under 4 miles away (or almost 8 miles round trip), plus the cost of renting it (usually a couple of dollars), and the time to return it (another 8 miles). I have a 15 inch Macbook screen, so I suggested to her that we could rent it online for $0.99 (from iTunes). I rented the movie, and let it start downloading for about 10 minutes before watching. Once we started the movie there was no problem! Not only did we save money on the rental (we rarely, if ever rent a movie), but because the movie viewing period expires automatically we saved about 16 miles of driving (at almost $4/gallon).

Extreme Couponing has inspired me

2011-07-31T17:31:00.000-07:00

Have you seen the TLC show "Extreme Couponing" yet? I've seen a bunch of the episodes, and it had reminded me that I started this blog a while back and haven't posted in a while. I like the philosophy of trying to use a coupon for everything, but I don't see the need to stockpile years upon years worth of grocery items. However, as I come across a good coupon I've used, or a good deal, or good tip, I'll try to remember to post it here and not let this blog go dormant again.

Get rid of your land line telephone & save money

2010-05-31T06:27:00.000-07:00

Last month I finally made the decision to get rid of my land line phone and go with only cell phones. I had been thinking about doing this for some time, since I would always grab my cell phone to make any calls. The only time I was really using my home phone was on the rare occasion that someone was calling me, and even then most people were calling my cell phone. Since I wasn't making any outgoing calls, I didn't notice that I've had voicemails just sitting there for months (yes, for months). I finally picked up my landline phone to make a call, and heard the beeps that I had voicemail. I had over 30 voicemails, dating back to November 2009! I listened to 3, and just gave up. If it really was that important for people to reach me, they probably already called me on my cell phone. That was when I realized it was time to just call and cancel this service.

I've now been cell phone only for just about a month, and have no complaints. That extra savings will come in handy when my grad school student loans come due this month.

How to put mail in rebates to work for you

2010-04-29T04:08:00.001-07:00

Two weeks ago Staples was having a promotion for a ream of paper which would be free after rebate. Being one who doesn't like to pass up on anything I can get for free I went and picked up the paper (as well as a couple of other items I've been meaning to get). The rebate process was actually quite easy. The cashier highlighted all the info needed, as well as the website to go to where I could submit for my rebate. When I got home I entered my information, and was sent an e-mail to monitor the status of the rebate.

I'm still waiting on receiving my rebate check, but according to the link it was sent out a few days ago. When I get the check it will feel like found money (well, about $5), since I have already paid for the paper.

I haven't yet decided what I will do when I get the check. But I can tell you that I'm not going to turn around and spend the money immediately. My options include putting the money into a savings account; transferring the money to an investment account, or applying it to my mortgage. It may only be $5, but in my mind I've already spent it, so I'm going to try to put it somewhere it can help me.

How to save money the next time you feel like playing the lottery

2010-04-17T04:34:00.000-07:00

There is a certain lure that the lottery brings. The jackpots are so large, maybe, just maybe, I'll win some of it. But what happens more often than not is you don't win a thing, and worst, have just wasted your dollar. If you play regularly, you've probably lost a lot of dollars along the way, which far exceeds any modest win you may experience.

So, next time you feel like playing the lottery you need to pay yourself first and put that dollar into a savings account. Imagine if you transferred one dollar a day into your savings account -- you would have an extra $365 in savings at the end of the year. And the best part is you probably won't even miss that dollar.

Even if you don't play the lottery this is good practice. And if you don't want to do it every day, you can deposit $7 per week, or $14 every two weeks, depending on when you get paid. It will pay off in the long run!

Save ink by not printing every e-mail

2010-03-20T06:16:00.000-07:00

I like to sign up to receive discounts via e-mail from some of my favorite restaurants. No need to pay full price when you know that discounts exist. But most of the time I get many more coupons via e-mail than I will ever use. So, what do you do?

What I've found works for me is to save the e-mail as a PDF and place it into a coupon folder on my computer. As I'm saving it I'll make sure the file name includes the restaurant as well as the expiration date. This way I'll have my coupons handy and can print on demand, rather than printing each e-mail that comes through. This tip saves both ink, and paper. And if you sign up for discounts you can save the next time you dine out.

Think Long Term To Save Money

2010-03-13T18:47:00.000-08:00

When it comes to saving money there's the immediate benefit you get by making simple changes in your life, but there also long term savings to be realized with a minimal upfront investment. I have a few ideas from my life that come to mind immediately, but I would also love to hear your suggestions as well.

A couple of years back I had a slow shower drain that would get better after pouring some drain cleaner down it, but get worse pretty quickly. I found myself frequently spending money drain cleaner. Then one day in the aisle with the drain cleaner I saw a rubber "hair trap" that you place over your shower drain to keep hair from going down. It was only $0.99 so I figured I would give it a try. Since that day a couple of years ago I have not had a need to buy any more drain cleaner. That $0.99 investment saved the cost of many, MANY, bottles!

Another example I have relates to auto repair. In the spring of 2008 I got a 2006 Saturn Ion. That summer I hit a pot hole that caused a flat tire. I had been going to Firestone for years, so I went there to get my new tires (had to replace both front tires). At that time they offered to me unlimited lifetime alignments for a one time $20 payment on top of the cost of a regular alignment. I did some simple math and quickly saw the benefit since the car was only 2 years old and I would more than likely need future alignments. I was able to take advantage of one free alignment when I went back in 2009 to get my rear tires replaced. Unfortunately my car saw an early death as it was totaled in a multi-car pile up on an icy highway. I fully intend to add the lifetime alignments to my new car.

With a little upfront investment I'm sure you too will find ways in your life to save money in the long run.

Are coupons worth it?

2010-02-14T03:42:00.000-08:00

I just came across this article from the Wall Street Journal about the rise in coupon redemption. It's a great article!

Farmers Markets

2010-02-13T05:10:00.001-08:00

I'm sure it seems like prices continue to rise on the fruits and vegetables you regularly buy. You'll be able to stretch your dollar farther by buying directly from the farmer at a market. You'll get fresh fruits and vegetables that are grown right in your area, rather than picked early and shipped across the country (or the globe!). You'll also get to by more for the same value than you can at your local grocery store. If you're finding that you aren't able to go through all that you've bought you can try splitting the cost with another person (friend, family, etc.). Not only will you be saving money, you'll be helping the other person save as well.

Comparison Shop Online

2010-02-07T06:14:00.000-08:00

This morning I finally got back to looking at grocery store circulars to help me prepare my shopping list. I used to do this every week before I canceled my subscription to the Sunday paper. I realized I was already reading my news online, and the only reason I was keeping the paper was for coupons. But I was spending more for the paper than I was saving in coupons, so last year I made the decision to cancel my subscription. Since then I really haven't taken the time to compare grocery store prices too much. I had signed up to receive the weekly circular from the store I shop at most, but I never knew if I was missing out on deals from other stores. So this morning I loaded up the online circulars from all the area grocery stores, and found some great deals I may have missed had I simply gone to my main store of choice.

I love Amazon.com

2010-01-23T07:31:00.000-08:00

For the most part I'm your typical guy who doesn't find going out to stores or the mall to shop a relaxing day. I'd rather just go in, get what I need, and get out, without having to deal with the crowds. I like online shopping because I can go at my own pace, and take time to look at items. And that's what brought me to this post.

Valentine's day is coming up, and I had a fairly good idea of what I want to get for my someone special (shh, I'm not telling since it's still before Valentine's Day). I turned to Amazon.com for a couple of reasons -- I shop there frequently, I knew they had the couple of things I wanted, and most importantly they offer FREE Super Saver Shipping when you spend $25 or more on qualifying purchases.

The free shipping is the main reason I keep coming back. I know I can get the items I want at about the same price as I could find them in a store, and I won't be paying extra for shipping charges. My son's birthday is coming up shortly, and I could have put his gifts in the same order, which I really wish I did. But I know I'll be spending more than $25 on him anyway, so I don't have to worry about free shipping.

There's always that excitement of getting mail at home that isn't a bill!

Save money on Twist Ties

2010-01-19T08:29:00.000-08:00

There is never, a need to buy twist ties! EVER! Sure, twist ties are handy to have around for various projects. You can use twist ties to close garbage bags, to secure non-garbage bags, as a quick repair for a broken shoe lace, to tie loose computer and TV wires together, hang Christmas ornaments, secure luggage zippers as a make-shift lock, and many more.

Even with all of these uses, you should never spend money on buying twist ties. All you need to do is start saving the twist ties that come in packaging you use on a daily basis. The most common source for twist ties are on bread packages. Additional sources include packaging on any type of product. But bread is your main source. As you finish each loaf just start saving the twist ties, or start using them for any of the ideas mentioned above. It's not neccessary to save them forever. Once you feel you have saved enough you can stop. Just be sure to keep enough on hand for situations that come up where you'll need them.

More ideas for using samples

2010-01-08T18:55:00.000-08:00

I just posted last week that you can stretch your budget by using up your various samples of toothpastes, mouthwashes, and other items. But I neglected one area of free items which we all have in our homes, and many times our cars too -- things from fast food restaurants. Just take a look around your house, do you have extra ketchup packets, salt & pepper packets, napkins, plastic cutlery, or straws? You probably keep telling yourself that you will use these things one day, and that's why you can't throw any of these free items out. Well, now is the time to use them! Next time you're serving hamburgers, hot dogs, french fries, or sausages use your ketchup and mustard packets first before grabbing for the ketchup and mustard bottles. If you want to add salt to your fries, grab for those extra salt packets. Use up all those extra napkins you've brought home with the intention of using. And all that plastic cutlery can be used on meals that you take to work. Not only will this suggestions eliminate the clutter of trying to store this stuff, you will be able to stretch your budget while you do this.

Soap Saving

2010-01-02T11:08:00.000-08:00

Here's a quick tip to help you get your money's worth out of a bar of soap -- get a soap saver bag. When the bar gets small, or starts breaking into pieces, you put what's left into this bag. After you accumulate enough pieces of soap you can start using the soap saver bag until that soap is gone as well. Now you've just stretched your bar soap budget by finding a way to use all of the soap from the bar.

Use up your sample size products

2010-01-02T10:53:00.000-08:00

I'm sorry it's been quite some time since my last post. I had been finishing up grad school, which is where I was focusing my time rather than this blog. Toward the end of grad school I had joined the ranks of the unemployed American, and had to really step up my frugal living.

One thing I found to stretch out my dollars was to use up my drawer full of sample size products. We all have drawers filled with these products we seem to always come across -- hotel shampoos and soaps,sample size toothpaste and mouthwashes from the dentist, free items we got from various local festivals, free samples we signed up for online simply because it was free. It doesn't really matter how you got them, now that you have this drawer full it's time to put these trial size items to good use.

By using up all of these item you will be able to stretch your budget a little it by not needing to purchase full-size items for the next week or two. An additional benefit is that you will get your drawer back.

Credit Cards Aren't Evil

2009-08-04T15:58:00.000-07:00

Credit cards aren't always evil, and can even help you if you use them all the time. I know just what you're thinking -- that goes against everything you have read online, or heard in person. While it is true that many people have gotten into financial trouble by spending beyond their means, this does not necessarily mean that a credit card is evil. Quite the contrary, actually.

There are actually a number of ways that a credit card can actually be beneficial to consumers, provided they use it wisely.

By regularly using and paying off a credit card you help build a good credit history. They key here is to try not to spend more than you can afford to pay back at the end of the month. If you run into situations where you do have to charge more than you can afford per month, try to pay as much as you can. A simple idea to help accomplish this is to make weekly payments to your card, rather than trying to wait until the end of the month. An even better idea is to log onto your credit card account's website a few days after you make a purchase with the card, and make the payment right then. That way the card is already paid off.

Use a credit card that offers cash back, or reward points. You can actually earn rewards the more you use your card. Try to pay as many of your monthly bills, as well as shopping purchases, with your credit card as you can. These are expenses you already pay, so you are only shifting the way you pay them. This not only allows you to maximize your reward/cash back, but it minimizes the number of transactions coming out of your bank account, thus reducing the chance for error when balancing your account.

In addition to cash back or rewards, some cards offer additional rewards for starting an online shopping purchase from their site. Next time you want to make a purchase online remember to check your credit card's website first, you might be eligible for additional rewards.

To maximize your rewards/cash back it is important to use only one credit card as your primary card, rather than a large handful of cards. I have actually started using my credit card for more and more purchases that I previously would have paid with cash, a debit card, or a check. Why?

The reward points that I earn, even on small transactions (which do add up over time). I now pay my car insurance, utility bill, and cell phone bill with my credit card so that I can earn reward points. I recently cashed in my rewards for a hotel I stayed in over the July 4th (2009) weekend.

By using this mentality you may be able to start building your rewards balance to start treating yourself. But be careful, it is easy to overspend when you aren't thinking.

Inspirational Quote

2009-07-31T16:51:00.000-07:00

Sometimes when I feel I'm spinning my wheels I think back to some of my favorite inspirational quotes. One in particular comes to mind today, and it's from Henry Ford:
Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently.

Time is valuable

2009-07-29T06:53:00.000-07:00

I'm not only frugal with my money, but also with my time. Within the last week I decided to buy a DVD for my mom for her upcoming birthday. Rather than take the time to go to the store (which is not always easy with a 4 year old in tow), I decided to shop on Amazon and utilize their free shipping. Of course I needed to spend at least $25 to qualify, but that was not a problem as I also wanted 2 other CD's. Sure, I didn't have the instant gratification of having everything right when I purchased it, but I got the items for the same cost as in the store, got free shipping, and did not have to navigate the store with a 4 year old who wants everything.

Next time you have a gift to purchase I encourage you to check online first. You might just save yourself a lot of time.

Being frugal does not mean being cheap

2009-07-28T19:27:00.000-07:00

Sometimes people mistake being frugal for simply being cheap. I can't speak for everyone, but in my situation that is not the case. To me, being cheap means not willing to spend at all, or the very minimum to get a product or service. But being frugal means searching out the best possible deal, or getting something that is going to last. So next time someone calls you cheap, try to see if you really are or if you are just being frugal.